The glitz and glamour of Hollywood took center stage on Sunday, January 7th for the 81st Golden Globe Awards, leaving many wondering if music superstar Taylor Swift would walk the red carpet or be absent to attend the Kansas City Chiefs football game with boyfriend Travis Kelce. With Kelce inactive for the Chiefs’ regular season finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, Swift ultimately chose the Golden Globes over cheering on the Chiefs from the stands.
Arriving at the Beverly Hilton in a dazzling sequined gown, Swift appeared ready for her moment in the spotlight as her concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” was nominated for the brand new Golden Globe for cinematic and box office achievement. This marked Swift’s first Golden Globe nomination since 2020, making the event a major priority despite her devotion to attending Kelce’s games this season.
Meanwhile in Los Angeles, Chiefs fans at SoFi Stadium made their feelings known by holding up “Where’s Taylor?” signs, clearly disappointed she wouldn’t be there to watch the matchup. As the game kicked off just 3.5 hours before the Globes telecast, Swift walking the red carpet in Beverly Hills rather than sitting in the stands was all but guaranteed.
Host Jo Koy brought up Swift’s noted absence during his opening monologue, joking “the big difference between the Golden Globes and the NFL? At the Golden Globes, we have fewer camera shots of Taylor Swift.” A camera pan to Swift showed her amused by the lighthearted jab about her relationship with Kelce becoming a distraction at Chiefs games.
Swift’s appearance at Chiefs games this season as Kelce’s plus one has drawn major intrigue from sports media and fans. But with Kelce sidelined Sunday to avoid injury prior to the playoffs, Swift’s attendance was never a sure thing. Even if Kelce had played, overlapping start times would have made doing both the game and Globes impossible.
With a personal nomination up for grabs, Swift understandably prioritized walking the Golden Globes red carpet over watching the Chiefs wrap up the regular season. Though nominated several times previously, she has never won a Golden Globe and saw this as her chance to finally take home the prize.
The cinematic and box office category featured juggernaut films like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” as fellow nominees, so Swift faced an uphill climb against box office behemoths. But with awards season kicking into high gear, Swift remains focused on conquering music, film and television.
Swift and Kelce have been an item since late 2022 following her split from longtime boyfriend Joe Alwyn. Kelce has opened up about the media circus surrounding their relationship, calling it a “rollercoaster” since Swift first attended a Chiefs game last September.
While Swift has shown she’ll support Kelce on the field when able, her jam-packed schedule makes Chiefs games a lower priority with awards shows and concert dates flooding her calendar. But if the Chiefs start a lengthy playoff run, expect Swift to attend some postseason action.
For now, Swift seems content balancing her booming career with her personal life. But with the eyes of Hollywood on the Golden Globes Sunday night, her place was at the Beverly Hilton alongside fellow artists, even if it meant disappointing football fans.
With Swift opting for Hollywood glamour over gridiron action this time, she’ll surely make up for it by cheering Kelce on loudly if the Chiefs advance further into the playoffs. But with her concert film nominated, the Golden Globes simply took precedence over regular season football. That’s the reality of dating a superstar like Swift in the midst of her meteoric rise to fame across multiple realms of entertainment.
